The Prince and The Robin
by Ed Azalea
Summary: *Basic Premise? Gravity 5 wins a song competition and gets to open for Kaydee Worth at an LA concert. While backstage the two groups meet, and suddenly realize that there are some striking similarities between Zander and this mysterious Rags guy.
1. Chapter 1

_*Basic Premise? Gravity 5 wins a song competition and gets to open for Kaydee Worth at an LA concert. While backstage the two groups meet, and suddenly realize that there are some striking similarities between Zander and this mysterious Rags guy._ _I was trying to find something like this and was shocked when there weren't more crossovers! I started this ages ago and there is now a very similar story up, but I am going to post mine anyways. Here it goes!_

**Chapter One**

"Kayce, we're tired! We have been at this for five hours already, can't we take a break?" Kevin moaned from his place behind the drums. He was massaging his hands, holding them curled up protectively against his chest. The muscles were numb and bruised and his skin was beginning to chafe and tare. If they kept going at this rate, he wouldn't be able to play at all, no matter how good they got.

"Yeah, come on K. Even I know when we need to take a break. We at least need to eat something," Zander agreed. And that about sinched it. When even Zander wanted to stop playing for a while then you knew that they had pushed well over the limits of a normal human being. But still Kayce fought the good fight.

"Come on guys! We only have three days left until the concert and two of those days we have school! We need to practice!"

"No, we NEED to EAT," Kevin insisted, still massaging his hands. Zander grabbed the first aid kit from the wall and inspected their drummers hands before carefully covering the raw skin with medical tape in order to prevent it from tearing. Nelson had pulled out his phone and was already fiddling with it, texting in his order to Mario's pizza.

"I'm on it! Meatloaf ranch and hot sauce okay?" When the girls wrinkled their noses at his suggestion he sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'll get a vegetarian pizza too."

"No olives!" Stevie called out and Nelson nodded at her request, shaggy brown hair falling into his eyes as he did so.

"I thought you liked olives?" Zander asked vaguely in confusion as he finished wrapping up the last of Kevin's fingers, looping a strip of the tape around his own little finger, which had already torn and spilled a small amount of blood onto the strings of his instrument.

"I do," Stevie agree unhelpfully. "Just not on Pizza. They're better cold."

"Ah," Zander nodded in understanding, handing Stevie the medical kit as she checked over her own fingers. Nelson was just finishing up placing the groups order and Kevin was flexing his newly wrapped fingers experimentally. Meanwhile, standing perfectly still in the corner with clenched fists, Kayce was silently fuming and getting ready to explode. Zander flopped down on the couch next to Stevie, the other girl fiddling with the tape around her fingers as she tried to protect her abused skin without limiting her dexterity or range of motion. All of them oblivious to the eruption about to take place about ten feet behind them.

"Are you kidding me?! We have less than twenty hours of available practice time before we are due to go on and you guys are sitting here discussing pizza toppings!" Kayce practically screeched, desperate and on the verge of hitting something. "Do you guys care at all about the fact that we are going to be performing live in front of fifty thousand people in just three days time? This could be our big chance to break though! To get noticed by promoters and managers and everyone else! I could finally get signed onto a music deal and you guys are acting like you don't even care!"

"_YOU_ could get signed?," Stevie asked, incredulous. "In case you haven't noticed, they didn't sign up Kacey Simmons. They signed up Gravity 5. As in, all of us, not just you."

"Yeah, but it's not like any of you guys are taking this seriously! This is just some game for you, a hobby to pass the time! It's not like any of you are really going to make it-" Kacey cut herself off when she realized what she had just said, but it was too late.

"Yeah, 'cus you're the only one who's really going to make it, right?" Zanders voice wafted up from the couch, his muscles tense before he stood and turned to face her, hurt and anguish lacing his tone more than anything else. "We're just the nerds, the losers who took you in when your precious friends turned their backs on you. And you know what, yeah, you may be good Kayce. But in case you hadn't noticed, you only started getting anywhere when you joined Gravity 5. You and the perfs were going for a long time without getting any traction and now that you've jumped ships you think it's all because of you?" Kacey had the good grace to look ashamed, starring sheepishly down at her feet, but Zander wasn't done. "We were a band before you ever got here, and in case you haven't noticed, we put as much into this as you do. You need to get used to the idea that you are not the only one here."

"Guys, I'm sorry!" Kayce protested. "You know I didn't mean that!"

"Actually, I think you did," Kevin said glumly, leveling the girl with an unusually serious look before he got up from behind his drums and went to sit on the couch with the others. Zander had sat back down and even Nelson had joined the little group, so that the couch was now jam packed. Kayce quickly jogged around the couch to look at her friends, all of whom were regarding her with angry expressions, their arms crossed over their chests in uniform hurt.

"Please guys, I'm sorry! You know I love you all, I am just stressed and tired and nervous and scared. I know you guys are serious about this, I just freaked out a little bit is all. Please? Please forgive me?" Kacey held her hands out in silent prayer that they forgive her, still mentally slapping herself for such an inconsiderate slip up and only hoping that her friends would be gracious enough to forgive her before the big concert on Saturday. "Please guys? What do I have to do for you to forgive me?"

The four band mates looked at each other for a moment, assessing each other's moods in such a way that it almost seemed as if they were having a silent conversation amongst themselves before looking to her and delivering their verdict in unison, heads bobbing enthusiastically as they spoke. "Pizza!"


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

"What is this one called again?" Charlie asked lazily from where he sat curled up with Kaydee, only half listening to the answer as he ran his thumb over Kaydee's shoulder. She was reviewing the dossier on their opening act for the LA show. He supposed he should be more interested. After all, it was partly his idea. They were getting local groups to open for them for each of their shows this tour. Well, he said 'their' tour. It was really Kaydee's tour and he was just sort of tagging along. That had been Kaydee's dads idea to help promote him while he worked on completing his first full album, plus Charlie was hardly about to argue with any plan that put more distance between him and Arthur while his guardianship was still being contested.

But pulling up local bands for one time opening performances? Kaydee had been skeptical, knowing better than he the chaos and confusion of touring and how badly wrong this could all go. But Charlie's excitement and enthusiasm had been catching, and Kaydee soon got the bug as well. It was like Charlie said, without the Majesty records song competition he would have never been where he was today. Why not give that chance to others? Besides, you never knew what hidden talent you might find. So her dad, despite his initial reluctance, had made it happen. Local contests had been announced, CD's submitted, winners selected, and now the local venues were prepping each of their opening acts to make sure they were prepared before he and Kaydee ever rolled into town.

The hit a small jolt and the tour bus swayed slightly, making Charlie instinctively tighten his hold on Kaydee. The confident mocha skinned girl just looked up from her file with a sly, knowing smile and refrained from commenting on his inherent protectiveness as the tour bus continued to roll along the California highway. They had four days before they had to be at their next show, but Kaydee had always believed in being prepared. If they were going to do this song contest, then she had insisted that they were going to do it right, and that meant reviewing a bands profile and arriving with enough time to properly prepare both the venue and the group.

"Gravity 5. Local band from Brewster High. They sounded pretty good in their demo. Still a little rough, but they have definitely got something."

"They must have if they got your attention," Charlie said teasingly, and NO- that was not jealousy in his voice. Kaydee just smiled at him at first before setting the folder carefully on the coffee table and snuggling deeper into Charlie's side, planting a soft kiss on his cheek as she did so before sighing in contentment as she wrapped her arms around his middle. Charlie smiled and planted his own kiss in her hair, his fingers running lightly over the soft curls as he held her. As far as he was concerned, they could stay like this forever. Fate seemed to have other plans though, because it was at that exact moment that Shawn came in from the back office of the bus, a phone still pressed to his ear and a smile on his face as he was talking to someone.

He tried to keep the frown from his face as Shawn finished his conversation. Charlie really did love the older man, but right now he just wanted some quiet time with his girl before they got to whatever media infested destination they were driving to.

"That's great news man. Yeah, I'll tell him right now. Just make sure the black out holds. We really don't need this turning up in the tabloids… uh-huh. Do we know what he is planning now?... What about the other one?... damn, yeah. Ok. I'll be sure to let him know. Ok. Yeah, you too man."

"What's up Shawn?" Kaydee asked as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Charlie really couldn't stop his frown now, as he instantly missed the warmth of having her curled up into his side. But Kaydee's fingers found out his almost immediately, and he gave her a small smile at her glance, warning him to be-nice.

"Sorry to interrupt," Shawn started, though he didn't really sound very sorry at all as he took a seat on the edge of the coffee table in front of them, setting Kaydee's file aside so that he would not knock it over. "But I just got a call from Devon and figured you would want to hear this."

Devon worked in legal, specifically handling the contracts for all of Majesty records underage performers. Charlie had met with him quite a few times already. As he was still only seventeen, he technically needed Arthur's co-signature on any legally binding contracts. Which the older man had of course refused to give, first out of spite and then in search of a bigger payday as he demanded his own signing bonus as Charlies guardian. Which, or course, Majesty records had refused to pay. Technically, Charlie was still not on the Majesty records payroll and couldn't sign up with them for another five months until his eighteenth birthday if Arthur continued to dig in his heals. It didn't stop him from recording his music, touring, or working on his album, just from getting paid. So Charlie had been content to wait the last few months for his freedom.

Then Mr. Worth had seen the marks. It was stupid, and Charlie really should have been more careful, but it had been so hot in the studio that day. So he had rolled up the long sleeves on his shirt, forgetting all about the mark. Mr. Worth had been in the sound studio with Shawn as he and the band continued to record. He hadn't even realized the older man was still there until he came into the recording booth at the next break and politely asked the band to clear the space for a few minutes so that he could talk to his new star. His voice polite and a friendly smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes, and Charlie hadn't thought anything of it until the man reached for his wrist, pulling his arm closer to inspect the mark, and Charlie froze. The bruise was ugly, a mottled deep purple mixed with the already healing shades of green and yellow, but even despite the disfigured appearance and varied color scheme there was no hiding it for what it really was. The mark was unmistakably that of a handprint, ugly and vicious as Arthur had grabbed him earlier that week. Mr. Worth had asked about it politely, but didn't seem all that impressed by Charlie's weak protests that it was nothing, no big deal, just an accident.

_"I don't suppose the accident's name would happen to be Arthur by any chance, would it?" _Charlie hadn't known how to respond to that and had promptly frozen up again. Mr. Worth had released his arm and left the studio without further comment. Shawn had helped him to calm down and covered for him with the band while he spent the next half hour throwing up and desperately trying to pull himself together, saying something about stomach flu. He had certainly looked pale enough upon his return for everyone to buy that. What had terrified him the most was the thought of him telling Kaydee. But he hadn't. In fact, Mr. Worth hadn't said anything at all to him all that day until he had been about to go home.

_"You will be staying in the onsite studio apartments from now on. I am going to need you to put in some extra work on your album if we are going to move the launch forward. If you still want to sign on with Majesty Records, we'll start the paperwork for emancipation in the morning."_

That had been almost two months ago, and Charlie hadn't been back to the Palace since. He called Martha and Diego just about every day and they had even come up to Majesty several time to visit him. Or rather, Diego had come to hang out. Martha had apparently just come to fuss over him.

Charlie had been to several meetings with Devon from legal since then and, even though it would make the process more complicated, the other man had agreed to keep any word of the bruise or Charlie's medical history out of the proceedings. He liked the older man. At forty two he had been a successful lawyer passing into middle age when the Rock n' Roll rebellion had struck. Now he negotiated contracts and guardianship issues on behalf of Majesty Records, and toured the world as a result.

"What did Devon have to say?" Charlie asked in what he hoped was a calm voice, trying not to sound too nervous. Shawn just smiled.

"Judge came back about a half hour ago. Petition for Emancipation was approved and issued as of 3:35 this afternoon. You are officially a free man Charlie." It was like the whole world had stopped turning. Not even the bus felt like it was moving anymore. He vaguely registered Kaydee squealing in excitement for him and wrapping her arms around his neck as he just sat there dumbly, waiting for the world to start moving again. "It helped that Arthur full on freaked out in court yesterday. Screamed at the judge and everything. Paperwork will be final by the end of business today. Devon will fax us an extra copy tonight which you should keep on you at all times, or at least until your eighteen, just in case you run into trouble."

"That is great! Isn't that great Charlie?" Kaydee was smiling broadly from ear to ear, but Charlie was still far too much in shock to do anything more than just sit there. He was free. He was finally free.

"There is more actually," Shawn interjected before Kaydee could get too excited. She settled down to look at him curiously, worried about what else could be involved as Shawn took on a more somber tone.

"What?" Charlie asked dumbly, not understanding what else could possibly be important right now.

"Given Arthur's freak out, the judge has also issued him with a restraining order. He isn't allowed within 1000 feet of you, the Palace, or Martha and Diego." Shawn waited for a moment for that to sink in before continuing. "From the sounds of it, it looks like he is going to be moving in with his mother in Jersey and Andrew is going with him."

"And Lloyd?" Charlie asked tentatively. Shawn hesitated now.

"It was apparently made clear after Lloyd testified on your behalf that he wouldn't be welcome in Arthur's household anymore. He is eighteen, so it really isn't a matter for child services, so I…"

"He'll stay with us," Charlie said immediately.

"Charlie," Kaydee started, not sure if he realized what he was doing, inextricably tying himself to Arthur after just freeing himself. But Charlie just looked at her, a calm determination in his warm brown eyes that Kaydee knew meant he couldn't be budged.

"Not on tour with us or anything, but he is welcome to stay me Martha and Diego and I at the Palace as long as he wants," he turned to the girl in his arms, trying to make her understand the crushing reality of life where he came from without scaring her. Kaydee had been removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for so long, that sometime she forgot that not everyone had their own penthouse or a super-rich father they could turn to. "Lloyd doesn't have anywhere to go. No family no nothing. If he doesn't end up on the streets it will only be because of a miracle. He knew all that, but he stuck his neck out for me so that I wouldn't have to. I know this makes things complicated, but what kind of guy would I be if I just left him by the wayside like a sacrificial sheep on my way to the top? I wouldn't be the guy you fell for and I wouldn't be anyone I could live with either. No. Lloyd can stay with us for as long as he wants. If that's for a day or a year or a decade, he'll be welcome at the Palace. Besides, my family has already gotten bigger with you in it. What's one more?"


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Her hands were sweating, making it difficult to get a good grip on her base.

Breath once. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. That's it. Do it again, just like that. And now just once more.

Her heart rate once again under her own control, she glanced over to see Zander practically vibrating excitement, his hands as still as a surgeons despite that. He flashed her a winning smile, as she felt some of the tension seep from her shoulders as she practically melted and smiled excitedly back.

She heard the announcer introducing them, recognized the name of the band but was barely able to make out the rest of his words above the ringing in her ears. The curtains were still drawn in front of them, protecting their little group from the roaring of the crowds- at least for now. Kacey was standing forward and center, towards the front of the stage with a microphone in her hand and an excited grin on her face. She and Zander were on either side of the girl, a few steps back, each strapped and carrying, her with her base and him with his guitar. Kevin was settled back amongst his drums, Nelson surrounded by his keyboards. This was right, this was as it should be. The curtains drew back and Kayce called out a greeting, her energy carrying over the roar of the crowd, voice amplified by the microphone in her hand.

"Hey everyone! My name is Kayce Simmon and this is Gravity 5! Are we excited to see Kaydee Worth!" If the roar of response was anything to go by, then they were more than ready. "Is that all you've got? I though you guys came here to rock!" The roar of response grew even louder, but still Kayce pretended to not be satisfied, though Stevie could see the grin on the other girls face. "Come on people! ROCK WITH ME!"

Kevin and Nelson cut in, the beat taking over the crowd as thousands of people swaying with the tempo of the music that they were creating. Kayce had wanted to open with 'Only you can be you' their signature song, but Stevie was now glad that Zander had won that argument as the crowd cheered and Kayce's voice began to carry out over the crowd.

_"Hear that sound- I know you can't sit down_

_It's getting loud don't act like you don't feel the rhythm_

_side to side go 'head and live your life_

_this is your time to shine don't let nobody steal it_

_speaker box about to blow everybody on the floor_

_ready set now here we go, woah, woah, oh oh_

_let it go I double dare ya. like you're dancing in the mirror_

_you can go I'll try show 'em whatcha waiting..._

_We gonna rock - we gonna roll_

_jumpin around till we getting no more_

_losing our minds - outta control_

_taking this all the way to overload_

_singing, oh oh oh oh, screaming, oh oh oh oh, saying, oh oh oh oh woah_

_come on and rock with me_

_grab a friend and move to the beat_

_come on, come on and party with me_

_you and me that's all we need_

_now ya, now you're rockin with me_

_We gonna rock - we gonna roll_

_jumping around till we getting no more_

_losing our minds - outta control_

_taking this all the way to overload_

_singing oh oh oh oh, screaming oh oh oh oh, saying oh oh oh oh woah_

_come on and rock with me - oh oh oh oh_

_screaming oh oh oh oh, saying oh oh oh oh woah, come and rock with me_

_rock with me - come on and rock with me!"_

The music was flowing, Kayce's voice ringing out of the crowd, no longer cheering for the prospect of Kaydee Worth but not actually cheering for _them_. Notes fell from her base with practiced ease, hips swaying to the beat, her band just as much in the zone around her. The world was as it should be. The crowd was cheering so loudly that they barely noticed as the upbeat tempo of 'Rock with Me' faded into the laid back and easy beats of 'Go with Gravity', but soon enough they were swaying with that one too, clapping along with the rhythm.

_Yeah, yeah yeah yeah - Gravity, gravity_

_I'm going over, I'm falling free_

_Don't care if no one's ever there to catch me_

_I'll close my eyes, and I'm gonna let it be_

_I'm gonna go with gravity, go with gravity_

_Feel the wind in my hair, spinning me around, around_

_Caught in mid-air, not afraid of nothing now, no_

_Take a breath, and take a chance, let it take me away_

_I'll never the weight of the world pull me down_

_I'm going over, I'm falling free_

_Don't care if no one's ever there to catch me_

_I'll close my eyes, and I'm gonna let it be_

_I'm gonna go with gravity, go with gravity_

_Maybe I should trust, maybe this is fate_

_Its okay to fall cause I'm a get back up again I'm going over, I'm falling free_

_Don't care if no one's ever there to catch me_

_I'm going over, I'm falling free_

_Don't care if no one's ever there to catch me_

_I'll close my eyes (closing my eyes)_

_And I'm let it be (oh-oh-oh)_

_I'm gonna go with gravity, go with gravity_

"You guys have been so amazing to us!" Kayce's voice called out into the crowd, slightly breathless from the last two songs and taking advantage of the brief pause to catch her breath before she called out again. "We hope you've enjoyed the show because we've sure enjoyed performing for all of you! Before Kaydee comes out we have one more song for you tonight! This really is what we love to do, it is what we have a passion for. Never let anyone stand between you and what you love to do, because you are more than enough and there is no other you in the world today!"

_Hey you, what's the matter? Lately you've been looking down._

_Is that someone in the mirror the reason you don't come around?_

_(That's crazy.) This isn't the "you" I know._

_(Feeling un-pretty.) Puttin' on a show._

_(You don't wanna be a wannabe.) So who you really gonna be?_

_Only You can be you. And only I can be me._

_You always wanna be what you're not. _

_Can't you be happy with what you've got?_

_You're perfect the way you are, With your insecurities, doubts and scars._

_Life's too short to worry. Don't you know it's true._

_Only You can be you (you can be you) And only I can be me (I can be me)_

_Only You can be you (you can be you) And only I can be me (I can be me)_

_You think you ain't got swagger. Gotta be cooler than you are._

_I think whatever, Let 'em know that you're a star._

_(Be crazy.) Be who you wanna be._

_(No maybe's.) You're a celebrity._

_(You don't wanna be a wannabe) Show them who you're gonna be._

_Only You can be you. And only I can be me._

_You always wanna be what you're not._

_Can't you be happy with what you've got?_

_You're perfect the way you are, With your insecurities, doubts and scars._

_Life's too short to worry. Don't you know it's true._

_Only You can be you (you can be you) And I can be me (I can be me)_

_Only You can be you (you can be you) And I can be me (I can be me)_

_Only You can be you. And only I can be me._

_You always wanna be what you're not._

_Can't you be happy with what you've got?_

_You're perfect the way you are, With your insecurities, doubts and scars._

_Life's too short to worry. Don't you know it's true._

_Only You can be you (you can be you) And only I can be me (I can be me)_

_And You can be you (you can be you) And only I can be me (I can be me)_

_Only You can be you (you can be you) And I can be me (I can be me)_

When the left the stage it was to thunderous applause and with five identical grins. They were ushered off down into a hallway by large men in black T shirts wearing security passes hanging around their necks. Some of the security team were even doing double takes as the group went by. By the time they were shuffled into a sort of smallish dressing room to the group was still breathless and silent. The door shut behind them, muffling the sounds coming from the hall and the stage and the band looked to each other.

A second passed, then another. And handful of moments passed with no other sound coming from the band than heavy breathing. Kevin was actually first. A dry nervous laugh, more out of shock than anything else, but it was enough to break the damn. The group dissolved into raucous laughter, Kevin and Nelson actually rolling around on the floor clutching their abdomens as they were laughing so hard. Kayce had to hold onto the back of the couch to stop from sliding down and joining them on the floor as Zander slumped against the wall, a manic grin plastered across his face. Even Stevie had to hold on to the counter behind her as her legs went weak. The two of them shared a smile and it was then that everything really crashed into sharp relief around her.

They had done it, and now they were on their way.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Charlie dived off the stage, practically bathed in sweat and grinning from ear to ear, earning him a sly smirk from Kaydee where she stood waiting for him with a bottle of water. He planted a grateful kiss on her cheek but she drew back with a wrinkled nose.

"Ugh! You stink!"

"Sorry baby, consequence of awesomeness," he grinned at her as she smacked his arm playfully. Charlie was like a little kid on a sugar rush whenever he got off stage. Kaydee was mostly just exhausted, but then she also had to perform for a lot longer than he did. Lately her concerts had been running close to an hour before finishing with their duet 'Against the World' and then Rags would cap off with one or two songs. Someday always got the biggest reaction from the crowd, but he liked to toss in 'Hands Up' or 'Not so Different' every once in a while too. "Hey, I was thinking at the next one I could maybe try out a couple of my new songs? Throw in something that they haven't already heard a dozen times before."

"I think dad was trying to save that stuff for the album release, but we can ask. I'm sure the audience would appreciate it. I think you are starting to get even more popular than me."

"Yeah right," Charlie snorted in that self-depreciating manner or his.

"I'm serious! Those girls in the front row certainly weren't there to swoon over me," Kaydee knew she was coming across as short when she saw the smile on Charlie's face grow into a teasing grin.

"Jealous?" Charlie teased as he stepped lightly into her personal space, making Kaydee blush.

"Maybe…" the softness of her admission spoke more to him than her words ever could and Charlie's grin lessened, content to smile back just as softly as she had spoken as he took her hand in his and took another step closer, pointedly ignoring how her dainty little nose wrinkled when she took in his post-performance stink and silently vowing to invest in a better deodorant.

"Well you shouldn't be. Cause the only girl I'm interested in isn't really the swooning type."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Kaydee said tentatively, biting her lower lip as she looked up at him with brown eyes so warm they made every part of him melt into her.

Just at that moment a crash came from off stage as one of the stage techs dropped a cymbal. Both Kaydee and Charlie started, jumping apart from each other, though their hands remained linked. Glancing back their eyes met and identical blushes spread across their cheeks as Charlie laughed nervously and Kaydee briefly ducked her head before clearing her throat and speaking up.

"Come on, we need to do the meet and greet with the fans if we still plan on going to talk to the opening band tonight or there is no way we are getting out of here at an even vaguely reasonable hour."

..._ Stay Tuned. Next update- Charlie and Zander meet!_


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

They were standing in the hallway outside of Gravity 5's dressing room, the small confines of the room having been much too cramped for such a large group. When the band had first stumbled out of the room and frozen, starring blankly at Charlie, Kaydee had been ashamed to feel a small surge of jealousy. Maybe Charlie really was getting more popular than her. She just wasn't ready to become old news. She wasn't even eighteen yet! But then the last member of the band had stumbled out of the room behind his friends, and it was Kaydee and Charlie's turn to freeze.

It was like looking at a mirror image- that just happened to be wearing totally different clothes. Kaydee looked from the man she knew to be her boyfriend of six months, and also quite possibly one of the greatest guys she had ever known, to what she could only describe as his perfect duplicate. Sure, the other Charlie was wearing a blue flannel shirt and khaki's, and his hair was shorter and a little less tame, spiked up in all different directions, but that could also be because it hadn't been closely guarded by one of Rag's signature Fedoras. What on most people would be just hat-hair, Charlie had made a style.

"Woah- dude stole your face." Kaydee looked up to see one of the girls, the bass player, looking between the two still utterly shell shocked boys with an expression of incredulity. In point of fact, it seemed as if everyone was starring at the two boys, though neither of them seemed to be paying anyone else much attention.

Charlie took off his fedora, keeping it held loosely in his grasp at his side and looking closely at the other version of himself. The other Charlie hardly looked any less surprised and the two boys both took a step towards each other, as if the illusion would somehow fade if they got closer. But if anything, it only made the resemblance stronger. The same pointed chin, high cheek bones and warm brown eyes with long lashes that would make any girl jealous.

"Ok- so this is weird." It was the bands lead singer that spoke first, Kayce she recalled, only remembering because it was similar to her own name. Kaydee couldn't help but agree with the sentiment though.

"Freeeea-ky," an odd boy with shaggy brown, the keyboardist, agreed full heartedly. The dark skinned boy standing next to him could only nod his head in rapid agreement.

"Do I know you?" The other Charlie asked suspiciously. Her Charlie seemed a bit put off, as if he had fallen out of practice of having to introduce himself over the past few months (which he kind of had), but recovered quickly and stuck out his hand.

"Oh, I'm Rags. I just signed on with Majesty. I tour with Kaydee sometimes."

"You won the Majesty Records song contest!" Kayce exclaimed, apparently forgetting the shock at starring at two identical versions of the same person in her excitement. "You know, I submitted a song but-"

"Kayce!" The other girl in the group cut her off, backhanding their lead singer firmly in the shoulder. Charlie was still waiting patiently with his hand out and quirked an eyebrow in a very Charlie-ish manner. His clone snapped back into reality with a shake of his head and quickly reached out to shake the offered hand.

"Zander, Zander Robbins. I put together Gravity 5."

"What do you play?" Charlie asked politely, not really sure what else to ask, but deciding that both of their apparent interests in music were a safe place to start.

"Guitar mostly, some vocals. But I can do base, drums, and piano too."

"Cool. I mostly just do vocals now, but I started out playing the streets with my uke. Easier to carry around than a guitar. I play piano too though."

"Ok, enough chit-chat!" The other girl from Gravity 5 shouted. "Who are you really and why do you have Zander's face?"

"Hey, don't put this all on him! As far as I am concerned, it is Zander who has Rag's face!" Kaydee cried, coming swiftly to her boyfriend's defense. She knew Charlie, and even though he was holding it together relatively well, this was clearly rattling him. And when Charlie got rattled, he tended to bolt- the result of an overdeveloped 'flight' response he had once joked.

"And what kind of name is Rags anyway?" The other girl continued, ignoring Kaydee's protest.

"Alien body snatcher!" The dark skinned boy cried. His friend quickly smacked him upside the head.

"Zander would have to be dead for it to be a body snatcher, duh! This is clearly a case of a shape shifting alien species attempting to blend in with human civilization!" Kaydee looked desperately between the two boys as they argued quickly back in forth, trying to determine whether or not the two were actually serious. It appeared as if they were. The girl was still shouting at Charlie, though he hardly seemed to notice, him and Zander locked in an open mouthed starring contest as it were.

"I don't suppose it could be a secret twin thing going on here, I mean I've met both your mom and your dad," Kayce suggested, not quite able to get around her own shock well enough to be able to bring the others back down to earth, but still with it enough to try and figure out exactly what was going on.

"Step-Mom." Zanders quiet correction sent silence crashing down around them as the rest of the group and the chaos that had ensued in the small, tightly packed hallway to a grinding halt. Everyone was looking at him now, but Zander was still staring blankly at Charlie, who was starting to look progressively more freaked out with each passing moment. "Carol is my step-mom."

The silence clung in the air, thick and heavy for a moment, before Kayce spoke again, her soft, tentative voice echoing as loudly as a brass band in the eerily silent hallway. They could hear the noises of stage hands working on clearing all the equipment from one end of the hall, and managers and support staff with phones pressed to their ears having the typical post-performance heated conversations with mystery people on the other end of the line from the other end. But within their own little of circle a bubble of silence had descended so quickly that it made Kaydee's ears ring so much that she almost missed Kayce's comment.

"You've never mentioned that before."

Zander shrugged, still not totally involved in the conversation even as he responded softly, his eyes glued to the mirror reflection standing in front of him. "It never really mattered. She and my dad married when I was really little. I don't remember anything before that. Carol was just sort of always in my life."

"So could that be what we are dealing with here? A 'Parent Trap' situation?" Kayce suggested, as if not quite believing the idea herself. Everyone looked from a shocked, open mouthed Zander to a considerably freaked looking Charlie as he swallowed thickly.

"Ooh… evil twin!" The dark skinned boy exclaimed. He and his friend argued briefly but quietly for a moment as everyone else ignored them.

"Yeah," the bass player agreed. "Yeah, they could be twins. Brothers at the very least, but that wouldn't explain them being identical. Twins is really the only suggestion I have heard so far, and no- your aliens theory did NOT count!" The shaggy haired boy deflated from where he was about to interject, but wisely kept his mouth shut. "Twins is the only thing that makes sense, assuming both of your parents are not present and accounted for. So what of it then '_Rags'_? You got both parents, or what?"

"Yeah, come on," Kayce pushed. "Did your mom remarry? Or do you know if your dad is actually your biological dad or what?"

"Yeah, what's the deal?" the other girl began again, her tone aggressive as Charlie remained silent. "Come on! Spill!"

Kaydee knew what was going to happen seconds before it actually occurred, but even after months of knowing him she still didn't know how to stop it. Charlie swallowed, his eyes wide, face pale and mouth hanging slightly open as he tried to form the words but just couldn't. His legs tensed, hands closed into fists at his sides. Kaydee called out to him and tried to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder but it was too late.

"Rags! Rags wait! Come back! Rags! Charlie!" He cries were in vein. He was already long gone, his lithe form disappearing down the hallway and around the corner before she could even hope to follow in pursuit, leaving her and the members of Gravity 5 standing around awkwardly and in shock in the once again silent hallway.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

It took her nearly an hour to find him. She had seen to it that Gravity Five got settled into one of the dressing rooms before finally being able to tear herself away from her duties as hostess and chase after him. Between the brief delay and his much longer legs she had completely lost track of him. She had started to panic slightly, thinking that maybe he had gotten hurt somehow when Shawn found her and calmed her down. He promised to help them figure out this whole thing and put her mind at ease. Shawn was always doing things like that, especially for Charlie. It was like he was his fairy godmother or something.

After confirming with security that Charlie had not actually left the building and running a security sweep of every bathroom, dressing room, nook, cranny, janitors closet and hallway, she finally figured out where he had gone.

Sure enough, when she made it up to the roof, bracing herself slightly against the slight chill of a late evening breeze, she found him curled up against the concrete safety banisters lining the rooftop. His back was pressed to the stone, knees curled up to his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around his legs. He looked so sad and lonely that it actually made her heart physically ache for him.

She stood there just beyond the light of the open doorway, not sure of what to do or how to help him, when Charlie himself broke the silence.

"Fact is… he could actually be my brother, and I would have never known. It's the only explanation that makes any sense."

"I don't understand," Kaydee asked carefully. Charlie was still tense, his eyes bright with unshed tears, curled up as he was against the corner of the roof. She took a moment to assess his mood before stepping closer. When he didn't seem to react to her presence, even when her knee was practically touching his shoulder, she went ahead and sank down against the concrete lip next to him. Family was the one subject Charlie was never really comfortable with. Sure, they could both talk about losing their mom's, and she knew how much he loved Diego and Martha, but that was about it. Every once in a while Lloyd would call or his name would come up in conversation and, even though Charlie didn't hate his other step brother, especially after the other boy had stood up for him in court during his guardianship hearing against Arthur, things between them were still awkward and uncomfortable at times. As for Arthur and Andrew? They were a complete non-sequetor as far as her boyfriend was concerned. So Kaydee was understandably confused. "How could… how could you, well, not know?"

Charlie just looked even more despondent at her question, if that was even possible. The silence stretched slightly between them, but Kaydee knew better than to push. After a few moments her patience was rewarded when Charlie sighed in defeat and began to speak.

"I don't really know that much about my family- my blood family that is," he explained, but Kaydee understood. Family for them didn't always have anything to do with genetics. "Mom died when I was only six and once she was gone the first thing Arthur did was trash or sell off anything that he could get rid of. I don't really know anything about her side of the family, although I'm pretty sure both her parents were dead, or at least not in the picture, since I can't remember visiting any grandparents. I don't know if she had any brothers or sisters either, or if there was any kind of extended family, and as far as my dad goes… all I ever knew of him was that he wasn't around."

Charlie's voice was growing stronger, his words coming quicker as despair melted into aggravation. His brow was furrowed as he glared at some distant point in space straight ahead of him, pouting slightly as he did so. Kaydee was quick enough to restrain the giggle, even if she couldn't quite get rid of the smile on her lips. She couldn't help it. He just looked so cute when he did that little pouty frown, but she knew he would NOT appreciate her saying so right now.

"It's not like I never asked, you know? I used to ask all the time about why all the other kids had a mom and dad but I only had a mom. I think that might have been part of why my mom rushed into marrying Arthur, that she wanted to provide me with a father figure or something." Charlie said the words in a rush, and Kaydee was sure it was the first time he had ever voiced such a thought aloud, even to himself, but he didn't stop to contemplate idea, busy as he was steam rolling into his argument. He seemed desperate to demonstrate to her that his ignorance about his own family tree was not from his own lack of trying.

"I just kept asking and asking. And even after she married Arthur I kept asking Diego about where my _real_ father was and why I had to have a step-dad in the first place. He never really seemed to want to talk about it and even if he ever did start to say something Martha would always just cut him off. Clear up through kindergarten I can remember just asking and asking but then…" Kaydee thought she knew the answer to this one. They had talked about that general time frame in his life enough under different circumstances for her to know the answer. She put a hand on his shoulder, feeling how tense he was, his muscles practically quivering under her fingertips, and finished the sentence so that he would not have to.

"And then your mom got sick, and nothing else mattered anymore."

Charlie didn't say anything, but the almost imperceptible nod he gave was more than enough of an answer for her. "After she… after she died," he spat out the words quickly, like tearing off a bandage hoping to make the sting lessen. "I stopped asking. It didn't matter anymore anyways. Arthur was in charge, Mom was… was gone, and him? That other guy that I had been so curious about before? He wasn't there, and that was all that mattered." She could hear the anger in Charlie's voice, and to be honest it surprised her. While Charlie had his reservations at times, he was usually so open and cheerful. Even when upset he just sank into a depression. The number of times she had actually seen him angry were so few and far between she actually thought him incapable of that particular emotion. But he was angry now. An old anger, one she could do nothing about, directed at a man he had never met for the simple fact that he had not been there when a sad and lonely little boy had needed him. She was about to dismiss the older man's existence entirely on Charlie's behalf when he began to speak again.

"I only ever asked one more time. When I was twelve. I was upset about… something. I was up in my room and Martha heard me, uh…" Charlie actually seemed to get embarrassed here and rubbed the back of his neck briefly, a faint flush creeping across his cheeks despite the breeze that had picked up and the brisk evening air. "She heard me crying, and came up. She didn't say anything at first, just sort of… held me, and it was… it was kind of nice. I hadn't really had anything like that since my mom." This was a feeling that Kaydee was achingly familiar with. It was only really after her own mom had passed that she and her dad had become so affectionate, the confused and upset eight year old searching for physical comfort in the only family she had left. "Anyways, after a while I asked her about my mom. I asked her to tell me about the things that I had been too little to know before. Like where she was from, what were her dreams, where did she go to school, and… and how she had met my dad. Martha was really good about it. She and Diego had just found out that they couldn't have kids, so she had started spending a lot more time with me. She told me loads of stuff I had never known before. That was when she told me that my mom's old piano was still sitting at Bernies- started making payments with what spare change I could find on the street the very next day. And that was when she told me about my dad."

She could sense that this was where Charlie's story had been leading to all along, and wisely let him continue without interruption, afraid that if she did speak up her words would somehow disrupt the little bubble that had grown to encompass the two of them, keeping them safe from the rest of the world and letting the normally shy young man tell his story.

"She didn't say much. Just that they were very young and very much in love. They ran away and eloped after knowing each other for only eight months. Apparently I was, uh_, conceived_," she could practically hear the grimace in his voice as he said the word, "almost immediately. But their families didn't approve or something and in the end it was too much for them. They tried to make it work for a while, but apparently they both decided that separating sooner rather than later was the better option for both of them. Apparently my dad stayed just long enough to see my birth before he turned tail and split…. Guess I must have been a pretty ugly baby."

Charlie's attempt at a joke fell horribly flat and Kaydee smacked him on the shoulder for that before threading her arm through his and cuddling up to his side for warmth. Charlie looked at her oddly and Kaydee furrowed her brow at him.

"No one calls my boyfriend ugly- not even himself." She knew that would get him, and the smile on his face and the fact that he draped his arm around her shoulders was worth getting soot on her boots and tearing the hem of her silver dress against the rough concrete. She had never really liked this dress anyway- too many sequins. It had been one of Irma's picks. Feeling the tension seep out of Charlie's shoulders Kaydee smiled sadly to herself and snuggled deeper into his side.

"What I don't get is why no one ever bothered to tell me. I mean, if I really did have, or do have, a brother then shouldn't that kind of be something I should know? I get my mom not telling me, I was little and she didn't want to confuse me. And I get Arthur not telling me, he probably couldn't care less. But Martha and Diego? At some point in the last seventeen years you would think that one of them could have at least _mentioned_ it. _'Oh, hey. By the way Charlie, you have a twin brother and he lives in California. Oh, and we're having chicken for dinner tonight'_."

Kaydee smiled to herself at Charlie's rather poor impersonation of Diego. He might know the older man like the back of his hand, but Charlie couldn't impersonate a chicken if he were covered in bright yellow feathers.

"Maybe they didn't know," Kaydee replied softly, shrugging into her boyfriend's side as she did so. When she felt Charlie's eyes upon him she continued lightly. "Well, if he left right after you, or you two, were born, then maybe he took the other baby with him then. Unless your mom had told them that she was expecting twins, Martha and Diego wouldn't have known any different when she only came home with one baby."

Kaydee could practically feel Charlie's thoughtful frown, even though her own face was turned sideways into his jacket, soaking up the smell of his soap with her head resting lightly on his shoulder. His arm was looped behind her back and around her waist, the fingers from both of their right hands entwined to the point where one could hardly tell where Charlie left off and Kaydee began, which Kaydee thought was just as it should be. She hardly wanted to disturb such a perfect moment, but still…

"Hey Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"What were you so upset about? You know, when you were twelve?" If the sudden re-tensioning of his shoulders were not enough of an indicator of his distress then the hesitation in his voice had definitely given him away.

"Does it really matter? It was a long time ago."

"Charlie." Uh-oh, it was her 'no-nonsense' voice. No force in the world was powerful enough to withstand Kaydee's will when she set her mind to it. He should know, he had helped her to discover that little fact. Charlie sighed tiredly in defeat and scratched the back of his neck absently before answering, his words coming out in a swift rush.

"It was the first time Arthur had ever hit me- it really wasn't that big a deal. I had dropped a stack of plates in the kitchen and while he was yelling at me he shoved me into a wall. I got scared and tried to bolt, he got pissed and smacked me across the face. It wasn't that serious- didn't even leave a mark. I was just freaked out was all."

He was trying to brush it off, to make it seem like it wasn't any big deal. She knew by now that what Charlie _didn't_ share was often more important than what he_ did_ share. That was part of why the fact that he always refused to talk about Arthur and, to some extent, even his step brothers had always worried her so much. Kaydee was suddenly grateful that there was an entire continent separating her from Charlie's step-father. But that didn't change the fact that, the next time she saw him- she would make that man _hurt_.

"Charlie- what Arthur did was NOT ok, and it was a big deal." Kaydee's grip on Charlie's midsection tightened as she felt him start to tense in preparation for getting up and essentially forced him to remain where he was unless he was inclined to pry her from his side. "I'll leave it alone, but you better put someone between me and him the next time I see that man or you might be short one step-parent."

"I think I would probably be better off without. Maybe I should just let you at him?" Charlie planted a soft kiss in her hair and Kaydee held tighter to the young man at her side.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

"So your parents never mentioned anything about you having a secret twin?" Stevie asked for what had to be the third time that evening.

The five of them were still sitting in the small dressing room that they had been given before their big opening. The venue had to be nearly empty at this point. Kaydee's concert had ended almost an hour ago, and Rag's impromptu closing performance had lasted only ten or fifteen minutes after that. After that it was a blurry haze of tense, awkward remarks followed by a brief interrogation of Zander and Rags by, well, just about everyone actually. Stevie still felt kind of bad about that truthfully. Both boys had obviously been reeling, struggling to fit the pieces together and all that they had managed to do was scare one of them off. Rags had been gone for a while now though, and even though he wasn't Zander, he might be important to him, and that was enough to warrant Stevie's concern. For his part, Zander was sitting on the couch in their admittedly somewhat cramped dressing room and staring straight ahead, slowly shaking his head in the negative, though whether he was answering her last question or a question from fifteen minutes ago Stevie wasn't entirely sure. He wasn't exactly coherent at the moment.

"Should one of us be looking for Rags?" Kacey asked rather pointedly.

"Uh, there's like a ton of security in this place?" Nelson answered back dumbly, as if Kacey had just suggested that a level three elf could take down a level twenty seven gorilla mage.

"Yeah, and Kaydee went after him. She knows him better, we'd just get in the way," Kevin remarked with a frankly alarming amount sense. Kacey seemed as if she were about to argue when he followed it up with another comment. "Plus- we got lost three times on the way to the bathroom. I do _not_ think we're the guys to lead a search party."

Kevin was shaking his head and Nelson nodded enthusiastically in agreement before the two of them shared one of their secret handshakes. Stevie raised an eyebrow at the two of them before settling herself down on the couch next to Zander. She paused for a moment, painfully aware of the fact that everyone was watching them as a faint blush crept into her cheeks, before taking one of Zanders hands in both of her own. She squeezed reassuringly and smiled sympathetically as his gaze moved haltingly to meet hers.

"Zander, are you okay?"

Zanders mouth opened and shut a few times, looking an awful lot like a fish out of water, before finally managing to shake his head slightly. "I, uh, I don't think so."

Stevie just stared at him, scared and uncertain of what she could do to help him, the rest of the group looking on in just as much concern, when the silence of their private sanctuary was breached.

"So this is the evil twin, huh?" The group looked up to see a slightly scruffy looking man with sandy ginger hair step let himself in past the dressing room door. He was wearing a black leather jacket and a plastic pass on a lanyard around his neck reading 'Studio Manager'. Nelson seemed to take the most offense and regarded the man with a bizarre expression of suspicion.

"How do we know that you're not the evil twin?"

The guy looked completely nonplused, but did raise an eyebrow at Nelson's expression. "Uh, 'cause there's only one of me?"

"You know what we mean!" Kevin interjected, still trying to look indignant while also smacking Nelson in the arm for messing up the threat. The guy just shook his head and chuckled, walking around the coffee table before sitting down on the chipped wooden surface so that he could face a still clearly shell shocked Zander. He took in Zanders features before letting out a long, low whistle.

"Wow, they really weren't kidding. If I didn't know better I could swear I was looking at Charlie." The guy shook his head again in disbelief before apparently remembering that he had forgotten the introductions and stuck out his hand to Zander. "Oh, sorry. I'm Shawn by the way. Studio manager with Majesty Records."

Zander, though still shocked, was finally starting to come around and gathered his wits enough to respond, shaking the other man's hand as he did so. "Uh, Zander. Zander Robbins."

"Yeah, I figured." Shawn said with a smirk. "Unless of course there are three of you walking around out there."

Zander looked vaguely panicked at that thought and Stevie decided right then and there that it was time to through courtesy out the window.

"Look, this isn't a zoo buddy. So if you've got something to say, you had better just say it."

"Stevie!" Kayce looked affronted that was talking to anyone from any record label like she was. But since when did what Kayce thought ever stop her?

"And what exactly does a studio manager have to do with any of this anyways?"

"Oh my God! Shawn, I am so sorry. She is normally not like this…" Kayce was panicking, hurrying to try and apologize on Stevie's behalf, which only served to annoy Stevie even more. Shawn, for his part, was too busy chuckling to take Kayce's apology seriously and put up a hand to cut off her tirade.

"It's okay. This has been kind of a freaky night for all of you. It makes sense that everyone is a little on edge," Shawn stood up and walked around the dressing room a little bit before going to stand over by one of the big vanity mirrors and leaning casually against the counter. Stevie's hopes that the man would just leave them alone were quashed as she saw him settle into a more comfortable position. "You're right, studio managers don't usually deal with personal problems. But see I am kind of a jack of all trades? I help take care of a lot of stuff that studio managers don't usually deal with- including searches for long lost twin brothers, apparently. I'm also Charlie's friend."

Stevie's ears pricked up at the unfamiliar name. She had heard him use it before, but couldn't place it. Before she could ask though, Zander seemed to have calmed down enough to have collected his words.

"Who is Charlie?"

Shawn looked surprised by the question, but hid it well behind a casual shrug. "Before he was _'Rags'_, rising musician, singer, performer, and boyfriend of the world famous Kaydee Worth- he was just Charlie, the kid who worked part-time scrubbing the floors at Majesty Records." Zander still looked somewhat lost, though to be fair he wasn't exactly on top of his game at the moment, and so Shawn elaborated. "Your brothers real name, if he really is your brother, is Charlie Prince. Or did you think someone could actually be cruel enough to name their kid _'Rags'_?"

Zander was still trying to digest this new piece of information through his already overloaded brain when Kayce, obviously at her wits end and, more importantly, at the end of her patience, launched into her questions.

"So, what now? How are you going to figure this out? Blood test? DNA? Private investigator? FBI?"

"Uh, I actually figured I would just start with checking out their birth records," Shawn answered easily enough, although he looked incredibly amused at the frenzy that Kayce had managed to work herself up into in only just a few moments. "I just need to confirm that your date of birth is really the same as Charlie's, otherwise we can stop right here and just call it a freaky coincidence. So… your birthday?"

"June 21st. I'm, uh, seventeen."

Zander looked vaguely hopeful for a minute, as though this might really be some big coincidence as Shawn grimace and shook his head. "Sorry kid, guess we're still going with the evil twin theory." Zander nodded dumbly, not really sure what he was supposed to think or feel anymore and sank back into the sofa cushions. Shawn looked at him sympathetically but made no move to go towards him. "Don't worry kid, I'll get this all figured out in no time flat. I just need a couple of days to run down the information and then I'll make sure you are the second to know." Kayce gave Shawn a look but the older man just shrugged. "Sorry, Charlie is first. It's nothing personal."

Zander nodded mutely in acceptance but Kevin took a step forward. "Wouldn't that make Zander the third to know? Because you don't know now but then you will have to know before you can let Charlie know and then Zander still won't know…" Nelson had the good sense to elbow his friend lightly in the ribs and rug him back, effectively shutting him up, though Shawn didn't seem to mind and was even laughing lightly at their antics again. But Stevie wasn't quite so put at ease.

"And what are we supposed to do until then?"

Shawn looked at her sympathetically for a moment before he shrugged and pushed himself up off from the vanity counter. "Go home. Try and get on with your lives as normally as possible, and wait for the call." Everyone was nodding slowly when Shawn reluctantly gave out his last piece of advice. "It would probably be better, though, if you guys kept this to yourselves for now, at least until we are sure what is really going on here… and kid? That means your parents too." Zander looked up sharply, obviously shocked. Stevie could only guess that he had been planning on interrogating his parents the moment he got home. But Shawn stood firm on this last edict, his face set in a resolve that Stevie recognized from her own face when she was protecting someone she cared about. "I don't really want to have to get the lawyers involved here, but I will if I have too. Charlie has enough people trying to claim a piece of him without distant relatives crawling out of the wood work."

"That's not fair! We're not talking about distant relatives here, Rags might be Zanders brother. This affects him too!" Kayce launched into the offensive and for once Stevie was grateful. She herself was still too busy worrying over Zander to even think about launching into a tirade against the studio manager, but Kayce seemed to have that part covered.

"Which is exactly why it is better if everyone keeps this under their hats for now. Can you imagine the fallout if it turns out they really aren't related and you have just spent the last two days interrogating your parents? Or worse, what happens if the tabloids catch wind of this before you are ready to handle it? Zander has as much at stake here as Charlie, and my job is to make sure we figure out exactly what is going on here without anyone getting hurt. So I am asking you to play it cool for just a few days until we connect the dots. If you can't manage that…"

"We'll do it." Everyone looked up, surprised at the first clear statement to come from Zander's mouth in some time now. But he was looking around the room with sharp resolve, silently begging everyone to agree. "I want to figure out what is going on here just as much as everyone else. If that means shutting up for a few days then fine, so be it. Whatever it takes."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"It's going to be okay Charlie- we'll figure this out," Shawn insisted for what had to be the fifth time that morning. His previous days research had not gone well, yielding only preliminary results no more specific than a google search. Though he had managed to compile a fairly comprehensive background on Mr. Zander Robbins, they were no closer to determining if the two were actually related. It having been Sunday and every single Government office from here to the Pentagon having been closed, perhaps this shouldn't have been so surprising. But it still hadn't helped to ease Charlie's nerves any, and the younger man was understandably freaked. He was not entirely sure he would be coping any better if he were in the same situation.

From what they could tell so far, which was mostly the product of incessant internet searches and particularly intensive Facebook analysis, Zander Robbins was just a normal kid. A rather skilled musician, no doubt, but otherwise just a normal kid. He had moved around a lot in his earlier life, apparently the result of his father's constantly shifting career. He had played sports when he was younger, rather unsuccessfully from what he could tell, before finding his passion in music. He had pretty decent grades and even took some honors classes, though he was not a straight A student necessarily. He was Jewish, as evidenced only by posts announcing that it was 'latka-time!' on his facebook page.

None of this had helped to solve the mystery of Zander Robbins, and at the end of it even the normally cool and unflappable Shawn was beginning to become frustrated. A nights rest had not helped Charlie to come to terms with things any better, as he had asked Shawn repeatedly what their next move was. Five time before breakfast actually, if you wanted to be specific.

Eventually Shawn had no choice but to banish Charlie to his hotel room with strict instruction to do nothing but watch crappy TV and stop worrying until Shawn could provide him with some real answers.

Once Charlie was safely ensconced in his room, Shawn had placed several very hurried calls. First to Devon from legal, who got in contact with Bryan, one of the investigators who helped him to dig up dirt on parents during guardianship disputes. Then to Mr. Worth who, although perturbed by the recent turn of events, was unable to contribute to their investigation due to pressing issues involving a new band they were signing from Japan and several upcoming Asian tour dates. A quick call to Annie in PR kept her apprised of the situation as he asked the girl to put her ear to the ground in case any rumblings came through about this leaking. It was just as he was getting off the phone with Annie that Devon called him back, saying that Bryan had turned up some preliminary findings but would have to obtain physical copies of the documents before he was willing to comment. Devon advised him to head to the Majesty Records LA office in case they needed to fax him anything, as they didn't particularly want it going through the hotel and potentially leaking to the media, or worse- for Charlie to see it before they could determine authenticity.

Resigned to spend the rest of the day waiting, Shawn called Annie back and scheduled a meeting with the pretty young PR rep. They spent the next two hours in Annie's office discussing various topics, mostly music, the industry, or other such similar subjects, and drinking expensive premium roast espresso's and Latte's. All of which Annie made fresh herself from the espresso machine in her office. He liked the pretty, young, and strikingly ambitious woman. She had no tolerance for idiots and protected her charges like a mother lion protected her cubs. It was for that reason that Shawn had fought so hard to get Charlie assigned to her account in the first place.

"Don't most PR agents have people to get their coffee for them?" Shawn remarked lightly as he sipped at the drink. He did have to admit that it was delicious.

"I wouldn't know. Do most studio managers follow their musicians around on tour while performing secret investigations for them?" Annie asked pointedly with one gracefully quirked eyebrow.

"Point taken," Shawn conceded, content to sip on his drink. Annie smirked in victory and, feeling generous, explained.

"There are so few true luxuries in this world. I find that making my coffee at my own leisure rather than waiting for someone else to go and fetch some cheap version made by someone who makes seven dollars an hour yields a much more satisfying drink."

"I can't argue with that," Shawn said with a laugh.

"Seriously though, what is it with you and Rags? He is hardly the most famous performer out there, or even the most gifted, and yet you follow him around like a lost little puppy dog when I know for a fact that the studio manager who mixes Rihanna's recordings hasn't left his booth for three years."

"He's a good kid Annie," Shawn protested. That answer was apparently insufficient as she continued to look at him over the rim of her own coffee cup. "He really is a brilliant musician, but more than that he is remarkable on stage. That energy, that enthusiasm, the passion for what he is doing- it reminds me of how I used to feel when I played."

"So this is a vicarious thing? That I can understand."

"No, it's not just that," Shawn insisted. Annie didn't seem to be buying it and Shawn was just beginning to wonder about how much he could safely tell her without breaching Charlie's trust. "He's a good kid Annie. And a good person. But… you met his step-father I presume?" Annie nodded and grimaced, she had the unpleasant experience of being in Arthur's company while trying to craft Charlie's background profile for the media. "He's fragile Annie. Losing his mom, growing up with_ that _for a step-dad, and one brother isn't that much better, though the other one isn't half bad. He puts on a good show, but the kid is damaged, maybe beyond repair. But he still trusts people. He is honest and open and he looks for the good in everyone, and in an industry like this one, that is just going to get him hurt. I know he isn't my responsibility Annie, but I do still feel responsible!"

"Well my-oh-my," Annie said with a not unkind smirk in a sing-song voice. "As I live and breathe if it isn't Shawn the fairy godmother. Come to take you maiden to the ball."

"Hah-hah, very funny Annie."

"Just make sure you don't forget the glass slippers, fairy godmother. They'll never let her in without them."

Shawn was about to shoot back with a witty retort of his own when the fax machine to Annie's left buzzed into life. Both of the sat completely still, as if frozen in time as several pages inched their way forwards from the machine, landing in a neat little stack at the bottom of the paper tray.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

It had only taken Shawn five hours to locate the documents in question. He had left their hotel at 8:45 that morning and returned with the final answers by 1:30 that afternoon, just after Kaydee gave up on spending an unsuccessful hour trying to get Charlie to eat something.

Records pertaining to the births of Charles Prince and Zander Robbins on the morning of June 21st seventeen years ago taken directly from the hospital where said events had occurred. Shawn had told him that Annie was already prepping her team in case of fall out and working up several possible press releases. She would likely want a comment or even an interview sometime in the next week, and Shawn warned that, in the event this information should leak it would likely mean that Charlie would have to do at least one on-air interview. Barbara Walters was already angling her way in to tear him apart, apparently having developed some grudge when her granddaughter had developed a little crush on him. The girl was eight and Charlie had never met her, so he was not entirely certain how that could possibly be his fault, but the woman was out for blood non-the-less, and she was not the only one.

Mr. Worth had called and personally assured Charlie that, whatever the outcome, the decision was his to make and that Majesty Records would continue to stand behind him. He still wasn't entirely sure he was willing to take the older man at his word, but the fact that he had called himself rather than have his secretary do it meant a lot.

Kaydee wanted to be with him when he opened it and went through it all, but Charlie wasn't so sure. He loved her and he knew that she just wanted to be there for him, but this wasn't really anything that she could help with. He just needed some time and space to think things through, to figure out what all this meant and what he wanted to do.

It was Shawn that finally convinced her that this was something Charlie had to do on his own when he saw the conflicted look on the younger man's face. Charlie shot Shawn a grateful smile over the back of Kaydee's head as he lead the teen pop idol away. Kaydee was upset, and she could not say she understood, but she knew that this was hard enough for Charlie already and did not really want to add onto his stress.

Charlie was relieved at first, but now, as he sat alone with only the file in his hands, he was at a loss as to what to do. For the first time in a really long time, he wished that his mother was here. That she could be the one to tell him instead of him having to flip through clinical hospital documents and birth records. That she could explain why she had done what she did, why she had felt it necessary to keep this from him, why her and his dad had separated, why they had never told anyone. That she could tell him it would be okay, that she could tell him she still loved him.

He hadn't noticed the tears streaming down his cheeks as he thought of his mom, not until they splashed across the surface of the official looking file. He brushed them off with shaking hands as he tried to draw a level breath, his fingers and limbs feeling not his own.

There was no point in delaying this any farther, and he reluctantly opened the file to examine the official birth records of Charles Prince and Zander Robbins from Beth Israel Medical Center.

Charlie didn't come out of his room that night. He didn't eat the food that Kaydee had sent up, though he did eventually allow her into his room. They didn't talk, he just curled up on the bed as she wrapped herself around him, fingers cascading gently through his hair as she lulled him into a fitful sleep. At some point after midnight, when he was finally asleep, she left for the sanctuary of her own room, not particularly wanting to leave his side but also completely certain that her dad would not share her sentiments on this particular subject. She had to leave early the next morning for a studio session and, after making Shawn swear to look after him, reluctantly left the hotel.

When Charlie awoke late the next morning, he immediately felt Kaydees absence and frowned because of it. Glancing back at the file folder on his desk, as well as the background information they had compiled on Zander a few days ago, he made a decision.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

The hallways were a confusing twist and turn of identical slate blue walls banked with walls of lockers, the only differentiating features being the posters and flyers stapled to cork boards or else sometimes just taped onto the walls. It hadn't been that long since he was in a high school, but it had taken him the three years he had been in that one in order to even hope to find his way around. He felt the crisp manila folder in his grip crinkle slightly as he clutched it, sweat from his palms making it awkward and uncomfortable to hold. He looked dumbly between the classroom doors on either side of the hall, half hoping that the boy he was searching for would simply jump out and go 'boo'. It would certainly make it easier to find him.

"Robins!" He heard the name being called and wheeled around on instinct at the noise, hoping that whoever it was could help him find the room he was looking for. "Robbins, what are you doing out of class?"

Glancing over his shoulder as if to see who else the man could possibly be talking to, he looked back at the somewhat imposing high school administrator before pointing vaguely at his own chest. "Me?"

"Oh very cute Robbins. Yeah, you. Come on. Back to class with you. I don't care what kind of war you've got going with the perfs this week, I can't have you people just wandering the halls whenever you like. This school isn't just here for your band to hold practices you know, you are actually supposed to be learning something while you're here. Why did Mr. March let you out of class in the first place?"

"Uh…?" he started, completely at a loss as to how to even begin explaining the situation he currently found himself in.

"You know what? It doesn't even matter. I'm going to have a word with Mr. March about letting his students wander the hallways. Come on Robbins!"

The administrator took off without checking to see if he was still behind him, obviously just assuming the boy would follow. Shrugging to himself, he did just that, following briskly only a few paces behind him, having to almost jog to keep up with the older man's longer strides. This wasn't exactly how he had planned for things to go down, but at least he wasn't lost anymore.

Mr. March was standing in front of a room full of students, trying to convince them that the Prussian Wars were actually really cool as he hopped around the front of the room, talking animatedly and throwing in words like 'dope' and 'supah-fly' on a regular basis.

Zander was sitting in his usual seat, tapping his pencil in a beat against the desk in between scribbling lyrics in his notebook. Stevie's head was bobbing to the music coming softly through one of the headphones hidden underneath her hair. Kayce was up front, a fashion magazine hidden between the pages of her history book. Only Nelson and Kevin actually looked like they were paying attention to what Mr. March was saying, and while he was pretty sure that Kevin was actually taking notes, it looked a lot like Nelson was drawing out characters for his new video game.

Try as he might (although to be fair he wasn't really trying that hard at all) he just couldn't seem to concentrate, the past three days passing in a blur of half remembered conversations and long silences. Sunday he had been fortunate enough that his parents were out doing things during most of the day while he had hidden in his room. He had been forced to go out at night in order to stave off the inevitable excited questions his parents had for him, eager to hear about how the concert had gone the previous night. A few half formed answers had seemed to satisfy him, although Carol had seemed concerned. No, _mom_, he thought. His _Mother _had seemed concerned for him, afraid that maybe the concert had not been what he had hoped. No matter what happened in the days to come, Carol would always be his mom. She always had been, the fact that he was his step-mom hadn't even occurred to him in years. She had always just been there for him. The thought of replacing her with a more biologically accurate model made him feel vaguely disgusted. He didn't think that he could do that to her. But Charlie… If Charlie was really his brother… that complicated things somewhat. The other boy hadn't done anything wrong, and he wasn't exactly sure what the other kid might be looking for. It was entirely possible that Charlie wanted nothing to do with him, which, he was willing to admit, would certainly sting a little. But was he ready to have a brother? Whichever way things unfolded, neither of which he was at all prepared for, at this point he just needed confirmation. One way or another, he just needed to know.

"March! What did I say about letting the students roam the halls?" Principal Kersey cried as he barged into the room, making Mr. March loose his balance and fall flat on his back in a tumble of wiry limbs. Someone else was standing behind Kersey, but everyone else was too distracted by Mr. March's hilarious but still rather painful looking fall to bother really taking a good look at the figure leaning against the door frame to the classroom.

"Oh! Mr. March, are you okay?" Kacey asked in concern. Both Kevin and Kacey, being the closest to the front, surged forward to help the older man up. Zander had gotten hallway out of his seat when March went down, but seeing that the situation was being handled, got back in his seat. Mr. March signaled his well being and ushered his students to move back to their seats, Kacey retreating quickly but Kevin still hovering close by the older man in case he were to take another spill. Mr. March was still brushing himself off as Kersey continued.

"I found Robbins just wandering the halls. I thought we had talked about this March. I know you have an… _unusual_ teaching style, but you still need to actually keep your students in the room!"

"What are you talking about? Zander is right here," Mr. March asked, clearly confused. Zander was confused too, looking between his principal and his teacher as everyone else in the room just turned to look at him.

"Then who…?" Principal Kersey turned back to the figure that was still looming somewhere in the general direction of the open doorway. There, leaning casually against the wooden door frame in his typical black leather jacket and fedora, sunglasses tucked into the crook of a gray V-neck t-shirt, was Zanders mirror image, smiling in a somewhat sheepish and apologetic manner at the chaos and confusion that he had inadvertently caused and fingering the crisp manila envelope in his hands somewhat nervously.

"Sorry about all the fuss. I had been hoping to be a bit more subtle about all this."

"Whuh- but, uh," Mr. March said elegantly, glancing back and forth between his student sitting rigidly in his seat and the clone leaning casually against the door frame before slumping on top of his desk in hopeless confusion. "I don't…"

"Wait, so who are you?" Principal Kersey asked stiffly, flustered to the extreme, his annoyance only tempered by confusion.

"I'm Charlie." The boy at the door introduced in what Kersey felt was a particularly unhelpful manner. The boy at the door looked over at Zander, a breath filling his chest before he smiled vaguely, and unreadable expression on his face as he watched his own reflection stare back at him from halfway across the room. "I'm his brother."


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

_"I'm his brother."_

The room filled with a quiet whispering as students were already beginning to gossip amongst themselves. And if the members of Gravity 5 had suddenly gone deathly quiet, well then Principal Kersey certainly didn't notice.

"I wasn't aware that Robbins had a brother," the principal speculated suspiciously, though he certainly wasn't able to deny the family resemblance when he could hardly tell one from another.

"You wouldn't be. I live in New York," the boy gave by way of explanation, still looking almost exclusively at Zander with a curious expression, although it actually explained nothing. "I was hoping to be able to speak with him for a few minutes if I may? Family emergency."

"I'm not entirely sure, perhaps I should speak with your parents first," Kersey said uncertainly. While he had no problem with family pulling students aside to speak with them if there was a true emergency, this whole situation made him uneasy. A previously unknown brother carrying official looking documents and without any forewarning from a guardian just didn't sit right with him. Glancing back and forth between two identical copies of the same person certainly didn't help his nerves much either.

"That won't be necessary," Charlie said quickly, although a little sadly if anyone cared to really notice. He pulled out a carefully folded piece of paper from the outside chest pocket of his jacket and, unfolding it in such a way so as to cause the minimal amount of damage, passed it over to the administrator. Kersey scanned the document quickly, looking a bit surprised, before handing it back to the fedora wearing teenager. Charlie folded it with just as much care and reservation as he had unfolded it before slipping the piece of paper back into his outside chest pocket and zipping it closed.

"Very well. You can use the band room. Robbins, I expect you back in class by the start of fourth period, no exceptions!" Kersey ordered, and Zander nodded quickly, still not quite trusting himself to speak as he rose from his chair and quickly made his way out into the hallway, following just behind Charlie as the other boy exited the class room. He did not pause to look back at the concerned expressions on his band mates faces, nor did he bother to take his book bag and other school things with him, eager as we was to follow the other boy out into the hallway. Kersey was still inside the classroom, having a final word with Mr. March as Charlie looked at Zander with an expectantly raised eyebrow.

"Band Room?"

Zander nodded and, still not quite able to find the words to speak, lead Charlie through the maze of school hallways to the inner sanctum of Gravity 5.

Charlie looked around the room and had to say he was somewhat impressed. This obviously wasn't an official music classroom, given the couch and collection of old pizza boxes, but likely a disused dressing room that had been captured and repurposed by the students who used it.

As Charlie passed Zander in the doorway, who was still holding it open for the other boy to go through, he casually handed him the manila envelope in his grasp, quietly hoping that his sweaty palms and vice like grip had not made too much of an impression on the crisp paper. Charlie didn't look at the other boy as he passed him the file, afraid of what he might see there, but instead chose to look around the band room that he imaged was his brothers second home. His _brother_…

_I know this one was short, but it is only because the next one is crazy long and I just could not think of where else to separate them that made any sense!_


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

"It's all in there," Charlie said aloud as he passed Zander the package before stepping into the band room and looking around. Zander looked down at the envelope and nodded mutely, still not trusting his own voice. He himself took another step in, allowing the door to close behind him before he dared to open the official looking envelope. Charlie's voice picked up again as Zander skimmed the paper before him. "Birth records for Charles Daniel Prince and Zander Isaiah Robbins. Born to Mary-Anne Prince and Daniel Robbins at 3:52 and 4:27 the morning of June 21st seventeen years ago. I'm older by the way."

"By like, what? Thirty five minutes?" Zander protested automatically, surprised by both the fact that he had finally managed to find his own voice again and how quickly he had fallen into the bickering. Charlie just shrugged, but he was smiling, obviously not having taken any offense.

"It still counts," he teased. "That makes you the _baby_ brother, you know. Unless of course…"

"Nope. Only child," Zander reassured him. Charlie's easy manner had become cautious and uncertain as the prospect of other half-siblings crossed his mind. "Or I guess…"

"No, it's ok. I get it," Charlie assured him. They were both adjusting. Such slips were to be expected and would have to be brushed aside if they expected to get anywhere at all. But now it was Zander's turn to get nervous.

"What about you? Any brothers or sisters I should know about?"

Charlie just shook his head sadly, a small smile still playing at his lips as he sat down on the armrest of an old couch so that he could sit facing his other self. "Nope. No brothers or sisters on this end. There is a step-dad and two step-brothers, but they're mostly out of the picture now. I only really talk to the one step-brother these days. He lives in New York."

Zander nodded, curious about the odd situation but knowing well enough from Charlie's initially vague answers that he probably shouldn't push.

"Other family?" he asked instead, and this made Charlie smirk.

"Depends on your definition of the word," was his response. Zander just looked at him curiously and Charlie gave a brief laugh before explaining. "No blood. Just Martha and Diego. They're like the closest thing I have to real family, to parents. I grew up with them. Bernie at the pawn shop- think weird sort of foster uncle. I count Kaydee as family, best friend, girlfriend, all of the above, and then now there's you." Charlie paused, a funny smile on his face before shaking himself and looking back up at Zander. "What about you? Any extended family I should know about?"

"Got a grandpa on my, on _our_ dad's side, and both the grandparent's on my mom's, or step-mom's." Zander flinched as he tried to re-evaluate all his family relations in a way that would now make sense, but Charlie nodded in understanding. "An aunt and two cousins on Carols side too, but I guess you wouldn't be related to them really. Uhm, I think that's it. Oh, and great Aunt Mildred, but come to think of it I don't actually know how she is related to me at all."

"That's weird," Charlie commented absently, starring off at some point that only he could see. "I think I remember hearing references to a Great Aunt Mildred when I was little, but then they just stopped and, well, I had kind of just assumed that she had died or something." Charlie blushed in embarrassment at his assumption and Zander smirked as he nodded in understanding. Zander wasn't quite sure what else to say when his mind suddenly got stuck back on that carefully folded piece of paper that Charlie had kept hidden, tucked safely away in his jacket's chest pocket.

"Hey, what was it that you showed Principal Kersey before? You know, that made him drop the whole calling our parents thing," Zander asked curiously. Charlie looked up, trying to remember what he was talking about before realization flashed into his face and he settled back again, fiddling vaguely with his hands.

"Ah, that. Yeah. That was my emancipation certificate. And technically it wouldn't have stopped him from calling your parents, just mine."

"Emanci-what?" Zander asked, now equal parts curious and confused as he settled in on the piano bench so that he could sit facing his living reflection. "What's Lincoln and the Civil War got to do with this?"

"Nah, not that kind of emancipation," Charlie corrected. He looked a little self-conscious and awkward talking about this, but apparently the Lincoln comparison had been funny enough that he felt comfortable to keep talking. "It's a guardianship thing. Basically is says that even though I am under 18, I am effectively my own guardian." If anything, this only made Zander look more confused, which Charlie had kind of expected. Most kids, the kind with two loving parents and a functional household, never look into the matter of their own guardianship beyond learning how to forge a parent's signature on a permission slip. "When I signed on with Majesty Records I was still a minor, and since my step-dad got all tight about the whole thing and refused to co-sign any contracts without a bigger pay day for himself, Majesty helped me to file all the right papers so that I could get to work without having to wait until I was 18 to sign a contract."

"That sounds… kind of sketchy actually," Zander said hesitantly. Charlie just shrugged.

"It was the best option out of a lot of not so great ones. Plus this lets me get on with my life and do what I love. I've always kind of looked out for myself anyways. This just made it legal."

Zander nodded in acceptance, knowing that it wasn't likely he would get anything else out of the other boy just yet despite knowing that there was probably more to the story than that. But one thing was niggling at him.

"What about your mom? What did she have to say about all this?"

When Charlie fell silent for a moment Zander wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It had seemed an innocent enough question to him, but Charlie was taking longer and longer to respond. After a handful of moments it dawned on him that when Charlie had talked about his family, he hadn't mentioned anything about his… about _their_ mother, and Zanders stomach filled with ice.

"She doesn't have much to say about a lot of things," Charlie finally said, his quiet admission echoing in the empty band room. The other boy kicked his feet idly for a few more seconds, leaning over the couch's arm rest as he was, before finally looking up at Zander, looking more tired than anything else. "She died. Long time ago, when I… when _we_ were really little."

"Can I…?"

"Cancer." Charlie answered succinctly, obviously having already anticipated the question. "First diagnosed the October when we were four. I wasn't told until Christmas the next year. Died two days after our sixth birthday."

The ice in Zander's stomach was filling his veins and he was struggling to understand why his vision was going blurry. He didn't know this woman. Had never even met her. He had a mother whom he loved and who loved him back. Why should he mourn the loss of this woman? This name on a piece of paper that would never be any more real to him than a photograph or a half remembered story told to him by others who had known her. But still, he remembered being six and, the day after his birthday party, crumpling to the ground in agony and crying over a hurt he could not heal. Stomach ache, they had told him. Too much birthday cake and ice-cream, it would fade. And it had. By the next morning he was up and moving again, the ache fading to a dull throb. But still, he remembered how hard it had been to smile that whole week, how laughter had seemed like such a cruel, impossible thing.

"Are you okay?" Charlie was looking at him in concern and Zander forced a wry chuckle from his lips that the boy who had actually grieved for the woman he had called mom would be concerned for _him_.

"Yeah, yeah I'm…" he absently wiped the moisture from his eyes, turning away as he did so. Charlie had the good grace to look away, stare at a poster on the opposite wall, and pretend not to notice. Something he was eternally grateful for. Zander took a breath to steady himself, and when Charlie looked back, still apparently concerned, he had regained most of his composure, though his voice remained a bit shaky and his breathing ragged. "It's just weird, you know? I mean, I never knew her, but still… I wonder if dad knew."

Charlie froze up at that. It was subtle. A stiffening of his limbs, a slight straightening of his spine as he kept his gaze firmly diverted to either the floor or his own scuffed combat boots. "Yeah, about that… have you told him yet? Your dad? About me I mean."

The clarification was unnecessary, but made Zander all the more curious. "No. Shawn asked us not to. At least not until we had confirmation…." When Charlie looked visibly relieved at the news it threw Zander even more, as did Charlie's failure to correct his previous slip-up. "And don't you mean _our_ dad?"

Charlie was uncomfortable and Zander wanted answers. Both boys had the distinct impression that neither of them would be satisfied with how the rest of this conversation went.

"Look. Do you think that we can keep this, you know-the whole '_parent trap situation'_ thing, just between us for now?"

"You want me to lie to my dad?" Zander asked, somewhat incredulous, and Charlie flinched. "Why? It's not like he doesn't already know you exist. And I can't just keep something like this to myself. He knew about this whole thing and he never told me! I think I am entitled to some answers here!"

"We can find the answers we need on our own, there is nothing that your dad could tell us that we can't find out by ourselves!" Charlie argued back, tense and angry. But Zander saw the defensiveness of his stance, how he kept diverting his gaze away from the other boys, and it made him wonder.

"Give me a reason."

"What?" Charlie looked back up at him, confused.

"Give me a reason, a _good_ reason, why I should lie to my dad about all of this… and I'll consider it." Charlie looked ruffled, as if he hadn't been expecting this, but Zander stood firm. This would be their first ever butting of the heads, and he wasn't about to be the one to cave.

Silence reigned in the band room for a moment. Then for thirty seconds. Then for a full minute. Finally almost three minutes had passed when Charlie finally slumped and looked away in defeat. Zander had to force the triumphant grin from spreading across his face, his own expression becoming serious as Charlie looked back to him in beaten resignation. Zander almost felt bad for forcing the concession from the other boy, but it was pushed down by his own pride and insatiable curiosity over the matter.

"Look, the thing with Arthur, with my step-dad… it got ugly okay? Arthur's never exactly been what you might call paternal, but it got ugly at the end and I'm just not sure I am ready to go through all that again." Zander looked to the other boy for clarification, clearly not satisfied, and Charlie ran his hand nervously through his hair before continuing. "Arthur has always been good at looking out for number one. When he married my mom, it was to get his hands on her piano bar- which he ran into the ground by the way. Then with his own sons, who are also twins funnily enough, they were a meal ticket, his way to strike it rich without having to do any of the actual work himself. When I got signed on to Majesty, at first he was pissed. Said I had stolen Andrew and Lloyd's big opportunity. But then once he saw my signing bonus… Arthur uses people. Uses them to get what he wants and he doesn't care who he hurts in the process. I got tired of being used."

"And you think that my dad is going to do the same thing?" Zander asked, not necessarily offended, but still just genuinely curious.

"I don't know!" Charlie cried out, exasperated, before looking sheepish again. "But I'm not really willing to find out. Not yet at least."

Silence ran between them like a heavy stream, and it was a long time before either one of them was willing to swim across it.

"We can take it slow," Zander suggested casually, as if discussing the choice of artwork for an album cover rather than the serious business of how both their lives and families would soon be changing. "Work on getting to know each other first. Figure out how this whole _'brothers' _thing works, and then take it from there."

It wasn't a promise, and both boys knew that sooner or later they would have to discuss this with their families. This was just a gentle reprieve, a delay of execution if you would, and Charlie was grateful for it. The silence that ran between them now stretched for a lot longer, but easy and comfortable until finally Charlie spoke up.

"So… what now?"

Zander made like he was thinking carefully before a truly wicked smile stretched across his face and Charlie began to ponder the wisdom of his question.

"I have an idea…"

Charlie knew he was going to regret this…


	13. Chapter 13

**CHATPER THIRTEEN**

When the bell rang at the end of Mr. March's class nearly twenty minutes after Zander had left with the mysterious young man at his side claiming to be his brother, the remaining members of Gravity 5 sprinted from the room at such speeds that they nearly sent their teacher sprawling to the floor again. They traversed the distance between their history class and the band room at speeds that would have sent an Olympic panelists mind spinning and arrived crashing through the door fewer than eight seconds after the first tone of the bell had rung, it's last chime still echoing when they collided with one another just inside the threshold to see both boys situated with instruments in their hands, laughing over something that one of them had just said and plucking out a lazy island melody on twin guitars.

Rags, or Charlie rather, seemed to notice them first, and elbowed Zander eagerly in the side. Zander glared softly at Charlie at the blow, but the fedora and leather jacket wearing clone simply pointed at the assembled group, now apparently frozen in the doorway and nodded to him. Glancing back, Zander smiled softly and cleared his throat.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"What's up?" Kacey practically screamed. Zanders eyes widened in a 'what did I do' sort of expression while Charlie just laughed. "What's up is that you ditched class to run off with some stranger who none of us know and now you are in here playing music with him?"

"I believe the term is 'Jamming'," Charlie interjected pointedly with a wide, teasing grin. Zander just glared at him softly again, kicking half-heartedly at the other boys legs in a vain attempt to shut him up as the rest of the group continued to stare at the two of them.

"So?" Stevie interjected, desperate to cut to the chase. "What was the final verdict? Are you two brothers or what?"

"Oh yeah, we're brothers," Charlie answered for them with a smirk. "Twins separated at birth- the whole nine. I'm older by the way."

The group was looking at Charlie, who seemed to be doing most of the talking, but Stevie was watching Zander. He was unusually quiet and spending a lot of time looking down at his shoes, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. It wasn't like him. As Kacye and the others continued their interrogation of Rags, Kayce mostly asking questions about what it is like to tour with Kaydee Worth and Kevin and Nelson mostly asking questions about what kind of video games he liked to play, Stevie made her way to Zanders side and slipped her fingers into his. Zanders head shot up like a cork, a blush now firmly coloring his cheeks as his eyes met hers before he glanced somewhat desperately over at where Rags was holding court with his eager new subjects.

"Zan? Are you okay?" she asked softly. She knew this must be rattling him, but this was still so unlike him.

"Uh…" he glanced back at Charlie, who was still oblivious to their private conversation, before running his hand through his hair somewhat nervously and looking back down at his shoes… at his scuffed black combat boots. Stevie narrowed her eyes in a level glare and took in his appearance more closely, Zander just pulled back, his blush deepening even further as she invaded his personal space.

"Zan… say coffee," she commanded dangerously. The others had finally noticed their exchange and were watching the two closely, Charlie starting to look a bit nervous.

"Uh- caw-fee?" The accent, though faint, was unmistakable. Apparently you take the boy out of New York, but you can never quite take the New York out of the boy. Stevie whirled around to glare at _'Rags'_, who was now sporting a 'deer-in-headlights' look as _'Zander'_ winced at his own slip up.

"Zander!" Stevie screamed, wheeling around to glare at her friend and band mate as he grinned unapologetically from underneath Rags's signature fedora.

"Aw, come on Stevie! You know I had to," Zander grinned, taking off the hat and rustling his hair. For his part, Charlie was wincing apologetically as he took off Zanders flannel shirt and passed it over to the other boy, accepting his hat in return as Zander took off Charlie's leather jacket and passed him the dark aviators.

"Sorry, uhm- Stevie, right?" Stevie nodded, though she still looked pissed and Charlie just ducked his head apologetically. "He made me do it! I really didn't want to but Zander said we had to try it at least once. I really am sorry though." Charlie apologized, looking at her cautiously. He looked so much like a kicked puppy that Stevie found she just couldn't stay mad at him.

"It's ok. I promise I won't hold it against you- but you are still in trouble mister!" Stevie cried, pointing back at her friend and band mate who, now once again dressed in his flannel shirt and signature grin, was easily distinguishable from his somewhat meeker counterpart. Charlie had put the fedora back on, but left his jacket laying by his side and smiled at her gratefully.

The second bell rang and the members of Gravity 5 let out a collective groan.

"Sorry man, gotta get back to class before Kersey slams me with detention," Zander groaned, setting his guitar carefully aside and grabbing up his backpack from the floor where Kevin had dropped it.

"It's cool. I should probably get back before Shawn freaks. He's probably going crazy by now trying to figure out where I went," Charlie said as he set aside his own borrowed instrument. Picking up his jacket he passed Zander the official looking document. "These are your copies. I've got more back at the hotel. Figured you might want a set."

"Hey, thanks man," Zander answered, grabbing the package and holding it close to his side. Charlie just shrugged and scuffed the ground with his boot, looking around awkwardly, not really sure how to part. The rest of Zanders band stood a respectful distance back to allow the two brothers a chance to speak before Zander turned back to ask Charlie a question. "How long are you going to be in town?"

"Uhm, here? I'm only supposed to be in another two days, but then its two weeks in LA and I think another six weeks all over California." If Zander was disappointed he tried to hide it. "I can probably still come and visit when I'm in LA though, or, you know, you could always come down to the studio or something."

He heard Kacye squeal excitedly in the background, though the others quickly shut her up as Charlie glanced over and laughed at her reaction. Zanders smile picked up a little more at that. It still wasn't very long, but two weeks was definitely better than two days.

"Well, what are you doing this afternoon?" Zander asked hopefully. "Cause, you know, we get out of school at like three. We could maybe go out somewhere, get a pizza or something and we, like the band and I, could show you around town?"

Charlie smiled, honestly and genuinely smiled for the first time since meeting Zander, and it felt good. "Yeah, sure. That'd be great man. You've got my digits, right?" Zander nodded in confirmation and Charlie began his long walk towards the back door of the music room, Zander already having told him about the short cut through the back parking lot. "Great. Give me a call when you get out and we'll all meet up and hang out. Oh- is it okay if Kaydee comes with? She's kind of desperate to interrogate you."

If Kayce's high pitched screech was any indication, then it was definitely okay to bring Kaydee, but Zander nodded his confirmation anyways and Charlie smiled, shooting the group a sloppy salute in farewell as he ducked out the back exit, hoping to avoid the crowds that typically come with the brief periods when switching classes in high schools. This could work. This whole _'brother'_ thing? Yeah. This could definitely work.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

_"Oh, oh, oh_

_ Beauty in the mirror, you see what I see_

_ I can see all that you want from me_

_ I hear something strong and it sounds like my name_

_ But if I answer, are you talking to me? _

_ You say the sun's brighter- The moonlight's behind ya_

_ The world's a playground- Pick a ride and you'll see_

_ Sometimes you go up and- Sometimes you go down and_

_ Sometimes you must fly- So that you can be free"_

As she finished the last refrain she looked up and saw Charlie smiling in at her from the recording booth. Wrapping up the chorus she signaled to the studio engineer to cut and set her headphones aside just as Charlie walked around and stuck his head in the door.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," he apologized unnecessarily. "But you sounded great in here you know."

"I know," Kaydee quipped back, a smile playing on her lips as she leaned back against her stool, looking coyly at her boyfriend. He looked better than he had in days; still tired and a little ragged, but no longer as on edge and shaken up as he had once been. "We were just re-recording some background vocals for the overlay. I was going to wrap soon anyways." Charlie nodded his head in acceptance at the news, looking down at his scuffed combat boots as he picked a hole in the carpet with his toe. "Charlie? What is it?"

When Charlie looked back up at her he had a tentative smile slowly creeping across his face, as if he were nervous about it being there. But he looked happy. "I met him. Like, for real this time. I found out where he went to school and brought copies of the birth certificates. He was kinda shocked at first but then he got over it pretty quick and then we just sort of talked and hung out for a while and he is actually pretty cool. We both have the same taste in music, and we both _love _to play, he's not so good at piano but he doesn't really practice on it that much plus he plays way more instruments than me. He can do keyboard, and drums, and bass, and guitar, and even harmonica! But he can't do uke, so I've at least got him there. Oh! And I'm older by the way, did I tell you that? It's only like thirty five minutes, but still, that's gotta count for something. Oh! And Zander made us pull this massive prank on his friends, we did the whole _'identity swap'_ thing where we wear each others clothes and pretend to be each other and they totally couldn't tell us apart at all!"

_Uh-oh_, Kaydee thought quietly, knowing well enough to keep her thoughts to herself on this matter. Charlie wasn't much of a prankster, but from the sounds of things he had become completely enthralled with his new found brother and would likely go along with whatever Zander wanted to do if only so that the other boy would keep liking him. If Zander got Charlie into any trouble, well, she would just have to have a few words with him before that had a chance to happen.

"He is so cool, and we got to play together for a while and everything and he wants me to come hang out with him and his friends this afternoon and I was hoping you could come with me?" Charlie was panting slightly, both from excitement and from the fact that it seemed as if he hadn't taken a breath during his entire speech. Kaydee nodded at the somewhat desperately hopeful look that Charlie was giving her right now and watched as a wide grin spread across his face at her acceptance. "Great! Oh, you're going to love him Kaydee! He is super cool and a really great guy and we love all the same music-"

"Whoah! Slow down there Charlie, are you sure this is such a good idea?" Kaydee asked cautiously. Charlie's smile evaporated as he looked at her carefully.

"What do you mean?"

Kaydee took a deep breath. She knew she had to be careful with how she said this, but it needed to be said. He was still new at this and she knew that he would always find a way to look for the good in people, she really didn't want to see him get taken advantage of. "I'm glad you are having fun and I know you think that Zander is a really great guy and all, but you did just meet him. Have you talked to him about, you know, meeting your dad?"

"Uh, yeah," Charlie admitted reluctantly, not looking directly at Kaydee as he kicked absently at the floor again. "He wanted me to go talk to him today but, I kind of asked him if we could just sort of, keep this between us for now."

"Oh Charlie."

"It's not a big deal or anything," he protested quickly, not able to bear having Kaydee disappointed in him. "Zander agreed and all. He said it was cool. We'll just take it slow. You know, get to know each other first before we drag anyone else into it."

"You know that you are going to have to talk to him eventually," Kaydee prodded him gently. "Even if you want nothing to do with him, he is still very much a part of Zanders life. You will have to face him eventually."

"I know," Charlie admitted reluctantly. "I just want to wait for everything with Arthur to have a chance to settle down a little bit before I start diving into another parental conflict."

Kaydee smiled softly at him. She was only just starting to understand the conflicting emotions that Charlie harbored for his biological father, only confused further by the man's conspicuous


End file.
